1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to cleaning or coating application devices with long handles. More specifically, the present invention relates to a cleaning or coating application device wherein the handle includes an adjustable center of gravity to reduce operator fatigue and improve ease of use of the device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Items used for cleaning or applying coatings to floors, such as brooms, mops and wax application devices generally have a cleaning or application head attached to a handle of appropriate length that aids the operator in the sweeping, mopping, or application process without requiring extensive bending or kneeling. Similarly, items such as paint rollers, brushes and dusters that may be used to clean or apply coatings to walls or ceilings, or to clean items above the operator's head, have a cleaning or application head attached to a such a handle. Handles for such items are used by placing one hand at the furthest end from the cleaning or application head and one hand at approximately the mid-section of the length of the handle for maximum control of the head location. Such handles are generally designed to be as light as possible to reduce the strength required while using the device. Although a lighter weight handle may aid in reducing the strength required for use, however, it does not reduce operator fatigue which can occur due to the repetitive motion while in use.
Another drawback of a handle that is designed only to be light-weight is that the handles are often quite flexible due to the necessary limitations on the amount or type of material used. Higher flexibility in the handle results in inaccuracy in placement of the cleaning or application head, resulting in increased operator fatigue due to the additional energy required to position the head at the desired location.
The present invention addresses these issues by providing a stiffened handle that includes an adjustment mechanism to allow the operator to change the center of gravity of the device. By stiffening the handle, operator fatigue is reduced because the cleaning or application head can be more accurately placed. By moving the center of gravity up or down along the length of the handle, the angle of force applied by the user to repeat the same motion is varied, changing the muscles used and thereby reducing fatigue due to repetitive motion.
Another advantage of the adjustable positioning for the center of gravity of the handle is an increase in the ease of use of the same handle for cleaning or applying coatings to surfaces or items in different locations. Specifically, the operator may choose to move the center of gravity closer to the cleaning or application head when using it on the floor or lower objects, and then opt to move the center of gravity further from the cleaning or application head when using it to reach higher places. This allows the operator to make the best use of the handle's leverage in different situations.
Yet another advantage of the adjustable positioning for the center of gravity of the handle is an increase in the ease of use by the operator to improve the balance of the swinging motion relative to the operator's chosen hand positioning on the handle length. This adjustability allows the operator to alter the dynamic effect of the swinging motion, making the cleaning application device seem easier to use.